Miracle denied for family facing deportation

Family

Scott Tracey, Mercury staff

Maria-Elena Colin-Gonzalez (centre) is shown with daughters Nallely, 16, (left) and Joselyn, 26. Without good news at the last minute from the federal goverment, family members will be on a plane Thursday back to Mexico.

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Guelph MP Frank Valeriote’s office confirmed Wednesday night that the family’s bid to delay their deportation until a hearing on compassionate and humanitarian grounds is heard has failed.

The family — 16-year-old Nallely Enriquez Colin, her 21-year-old sister, Jessica, and their mother, Maria-Elena Colin-Gonzalez, will have to board a plane at Pearson International Airport Thursday afternoon and head back to Mexico.

By 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nallely had already cleared out her locker at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School where she was a student and was preparing for a flight that she does not want to take.

“It sucks. It is not a good day,” Mike MacPherson, the principal of Our Lady of Lourdes high school said Wednesday afternoon.

The Grade 11 student and her family are being deported back to Mexico after spending the past five years living in Guelph. Nallely, her 21-year-old sister, Jessica, and their mother, Maria-Elena Colin-Gonzalez, are scheduled to board a plane at Pearson International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

The family, including Nallely’s older sister, Joselyn, 26, and her father, Humberto, fled Mexico in 2007 after they were kidnapped at gunpoint and held for ransom. They came to Canada and established a business, which allowed them to stay under provisions in the North American Free Trade Agreement.

But when the business went under, Humberto had to return to Mexico. Joselyn is able to stay in Canada because of a special work permit, but the rest of her family is being forced to leave.

“We’re at the mercy of the government now,” MacPherson said in the afternoon, not knowing that a decision had already been reached in Ottawa.

The school community rallied around the family and hoped federal government officials would be able to review the family’s application made on humanitarian and compassionate grounds before Thursday’s flight. A stay of removal can be granted by either the Federal Court or Vic Toews, the minister of Public Safety.

The school sign in front of the building on Westmount Road encourages passersby to go on Twitter and use the hashtag #protectionforNallelynow to spread the word about the situation. Since this hashtag was established, it has been tweeted thousands of times.

Just inside the front entrance of the school, a string of colourful banners rest up against the wall in Nallely’s honour. Messages, such as We can do it if we just believe, and Be strong, and other words of encouragement are scrawled on the flags in black marker.

Aaron Subang has been a friend of Nallely for several years. He said when students first found out about a month ago she might be deported, it took the whole school by surprise.

“We were all just shocked,” the Grade 11 student said. “She’s a really big part of this school. Being in a Catholic school, we have this thing that everyone’s family. If she has to leave, we feel like we’re losing a family member.”

Don Drone, Wellington Catholic District School Board director of education, said the board has reached out to the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, Cardinal Thomas Collins, and other people within the senior ranks of the clergy to intercede on humanitarian grounds.

“We’re not trying to contravene the law, but we’re trying to provide this as an exceptional circumstance in the sense that the government through its process might be able to do something before the family is deported,” he said.

On Monday, 45 students, a few parents, members of staff and principal MacPherson travelled to Ottawa in hopes of helping Nallely and her family. A group of them met with Defence Minister Peter MacKay to plead their case and were told that he would follow up with them.

MacPherson had also contacted Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, but he had yet to hear back from either minister.

“We are hopeful, and continue to pray,” Drone said. “Sometimes in these cases, one never knows what does go on behind closed doors. The school and those who are taking a lead at the school have really done everything they can at this point. We’re just waiting for that response.”

About 60 staff, students and community members gathered on the steps outside the Church of Our Lady Wednesday evening, lit candles and prayed for the family. Then they filed over to Valeriote’s office on Cork Street, stood for a moment and walked back to the church.

“We pray for the open minds and open hearts of government leaders,” said Bill Flaherty, the school’s chaplain. “We really are praying for a miracle.”